“She is spherical, like a globe.” With that declaration, the Dale Horton Auditorium exploded with laughter as Dromio of Syracuse, played by Josh Gallegos (Sr., CO), blatantly described the kitchen maid in Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy.
Having directed over 40 Fine Arts productions at PCC, Dr. Charlene Monk once again worked her magic by directing a classic comedy that successfully captivated the audience. With a setting in the 1930s at the port of Ephesus, The Comedy of Errors told the dramatic irony of mistaken identities in a humorous reunion between two sets of twins after 25 years of separation.
Rachel Abad (Fr., NY) said, “Such a great comic relief after a stressful semester! I couldn’t stop chuckling from the back-to-back insults between the characters. It’s hilarious how they really resemble the witty pettiness of people today.”
Along with the clever puns, the characters’ exuberant performance kept the audience engaged throughout the play.
“The most challenging part for my character was how physically active he was throughout the production,” said Ryan Klein (PCC Staff) who played Dromio of Ephesus. “One minute I’d be swinging off a balcony, the next minute I’m running up and down the stage, and the next minute I’d be falling down over and over again after pretending to get my head smashed on a door!”
Some of the most memorable moments came from the impromptu stage business that the players cleverly and smoothly incorporated throughout the play. “I loved being able to add new actions to fit the words,” said Jacob Van Hall (Graduate Assistant), who played one of the Antipholus twins. “Breaking out through a window, which I had never touched before Saturday’s performance, is one of those moments.”
Dr. Monk said that the most essential element in directing is “selecting the right cast. Everything hinges on this. If this is done well, the production will mesh together.”
Sure enough, this exceptional mesh happened the first night when the Dromio twins were played by brothers Josh and Gabe Gallegos. Stone Tussey (Jr., MI) said, “I think the chemistry between the Gallegos brothers makes the brotherly connection real. For a Comedy of Errors, there sure was no error in it.”